Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-11
A GUERRILLA'S WEDDING
A Midnight Marriage Inside the
Confederate Lines.
B, COL JAMES Q. OHENowETH

The cavalry battle Of Grubl,s' Cross
Roads, Ky, was fought at daylight on the
morning of Sept. 5, 1864, and the daunt-
less cavalry chief commanding the Con-
fe,ierates, Gen. Adam johnson, was borne
from the field desperately wounded. As
officer next in commission TO Gen. John
Son, assumed command, and. rallying
the shattered hattalions, directed the
''head Of column" to move In the direc-
ton Of Canton, on the Cumberland river.
Arriving at that point about midnight OF
the same day, We Immediately commenced
preparations for the perilous passage Of
the river. This was effected by swim
ming the horses alongside Of two frail
skiffs, which - had Luckily managed to
secure. Many Of the men, sowever, rode
boldly into the waves and crossed over on
the backs Of thar noble steeds. This was
all the more dangerous as the river was
NJ that time swollen out of its banks from
recent heavy rains.
Our crossing WAS accelerated by infor-
nation received during the night, through
scouts Of the approach Of the enemy, and
with the first glintings Of daylight Nc
Cooks cavalry charged upon our rear
guard, which, under command Of gallant
Lieut.. Spalding, was just preparing to
cross the river. had remained all night
in the saddle upon the eastern bank Of the
river, directing the crossing, when sud
denly the enemy's bugles, stirring the
crisp morning air with the clarion notes Of
the charge, warned me of danger. at
tempted to escape down the river road and
over the bridge spanning Bittine river,
which cmpties into the Cumberland near
Canton. To my great disgust l galloped
into the clutches of watchful adversaries,
whose dismounted guard was already on
hand to receive me with ''open arms" at
the other end of the bridge. Watching
opportunity, in a few minutes l made
my escape from the too confident guard by
plunging into the river on the back of my
spirited thoroughbred. / succeeded in
effecting landing, and, after joining the
column, more leisurely made the passage
Of the Tennessee river. which, at the point
of crossing, runs parallel to and is but
short distance from the Cumberland. s
A few miles beyond the Tennessee river
We pitched our camp near the beautiful
little city of Paris. The severe mental
and physical strain to which / had been
euhiecssd since the csrairy1 ftnttle at
Grubbs' Cross Roads had brought COM
plete nervous prostration, which was fol-
lowed by an alarming type Of fever. /
realized that was very ill, and calling to
my side DIR. NethertOn, the brigade staff
surgeon Out mere pill novice just out
of the medical schools, bade him call for
the best physician he could
find in the town Of Paris. Returning in
. short while the doctor informed me that
the gentleman recognized as the best
physician in town WAS DR.. Mathewson,
but that he doubted il would care to
avnil myself Of his professional skill in
Of the fact that he was a
violent Unionist. was too much alarmed
at the symptoms Of my illness to consider
with much patience a point so finely
drawn. / Immediately sent for DIR.
Mathewson. He reported without delay.
A stern looking old man he was, but =
kinder or gentler Samaritan never cooled
the fever upon a sick mans face. He,
with his gentle wife and daughter, nursed
me back to health with tenderest sOlici-
tuie-
About the 1st Of November an advance
courier arrived at headquarters from Gen.
and assume command. By this courier l
received orders from the general to imme-
diately put the command In condition to
be ready to move into Kentucky across
the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers.
Gen Hood, at the head Of the Army Of
the Tennessee, was already marching on
Nashville.
Gen Lyon, with his staff and escort,
81 ,RN
weather was intensely cold and disagree
able. The men had but q scant supply of
overcoats and blankets, and these were
Two deep and angry rivers,
running almost parallel within a few
miles of each other, lay between our camp
and Kentucky, but no obstacles could
chill the wild exultation Of men gladdened
with the idea Of once more riding upon
their native soil. Orders had been issued
for crossing the Cumberland river next
morning. Nov. 81. The camp was alive
with the activity Of officers and men get
ting things in order for the early march.
Extra rations were being cooked, equip
nnents were being repaired and FURNISHED
and staff inspectors were busy stripping
the men of every ounce of surplus bag
gage.
The little town Of Paris was also on the
Qui vive, and fair maidens for miles about
had made arrangements for Il farewell
ball to the daring riders. In the eTenins
the old Academy building, abandoned
since the war as female educational in
stitute, fairly blazed with Chinese Ian
terms and other variegated lights An
improvisel orchestra awakened the echoes
In the long deserted corridors, and dash
ing cavalier with sylphlike maiden
whirled the merry hours away with no
thought Of the morrow. Midnight was
deepening into the first hour Of morning,
when the old Virginia reel, which will bs
rememoered at all the country dances In
the good old ante-bellum days as . sort OF
Terpsichorean dox6logy, was called, and
the leader of the orchestra proudly wav-
ing his baton, this last merry dance be-
gan.
was standing near Gen. Lyon, an in
terested spectator Of the beautiful scene.
Sergt B., . handsome young soldier,
glowing with excitement, was dancing to
his vis-a-vis, when a scrap OF paper was
observed to fall from his pocket and, f1ut-
tering, lay upon the floor. Without
directing attention to what he was doing,
Gen. Lyon secured the paper. knew by
the flash Of his eye, - he read its con-
tents. that something serious had hap
pened. The general placed the paper in
my hand, and, TO my great astonishment
and dismay, read an order from my old
friend and benefactor, DR.. Mathewson.
passing the sergeant through the Federal
lines as deserter from the Confederate
army. For q moment was dazed. The
doctor I knew to be at home, and l
was certain OF his fate IL left in ignorance
Of the exposure. What were my duties
In the premisess This was for me a most
serious question, and its solution admitted
Of no delay.
III caused the doctor to be informed Of
his peril, would not thereby prove false
to the flag Of the Confederacy and